Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-06-09
Reunion Of the Garner Family.

Reunion OF the Garner Family.
At the request of Mr.. Daniel Garner
an old resident ofLancaster, we gladly re-
publish from local paper this account
of their family reunion held in Penn
sylvania. Although it took place some
time ago it will be interesting to all of
the name who have not seen it, end 10
the people here who have for years
known and respected theGarner family.
1.-The reunion of the Garner family
at the old homestead in Penn town
ship. now occupied by Scott Garner,
on Thursday last, was grand success.
There were seven hundred and fifty
persons present, for whom ample prep
arations had been made, as there was
seating capacity for six hundred on the
old homestead grounds. Large stands
were erected for the use OF the speakers,
choir aud band, respectively. which
were profusely decorated with bouquets,
wreaths, flags and evergreens, as well
as all the gateways and drives also were
beautifully arched with evergreens.
People from far and near began to
gather into the grounds at seven a. M,
and ut 10 o'clock the vast assemblage
was called to order by the president,
Rev. M. G. Boyer, and an interesting
program was begun by the choir sing
ing an opening lay. "Welcome Friends"
followed by prayer by Rev. II. S. Gar
ner, of Scottdale, Pa. The choir next
sang"Love at Home" after which Mr.,
L. f Boyer delivered the address of
welcome, responded to byMr.A. G Fouse.
Next piece entitled, "A Hundred
Years to Come" was sung. when Rev.
II. S. Garner delivered an historical
address delineating the genealogy,
movements and material prosperity
of the descendants of John Michael
Garner, who was born in Wittenberg,
Germany, in 1928, and who came to
America at ten years of age, married
September "a, 1869, to Catharine Seiss,
native Of Switzerland, lived near
Antietam Creek, in the neighborhood Of
Sharpsburg. Nd. till in the autumn of
1888, when he with his family, moved
via. Bloody Run to Woodcock Valley.
Huntingdon county, Pa, purchased the
improvements" on tract of land
containing 279 acres and SO perches,
from Robert Whitnor, and obtained
the deed therefor. June 20, 1894, from
John Penn, the older, and John Penn, the
younger, on the payment of f112 and 5
shillings On this farm he and his wife
passed the remainder of their days. No
record of the time of their departure, but
| according to tradition the former died
between 1905 and 1910, and the latter
some years later. Their remains rest
in "the Frank Graveyard" near the
old homestead, 1t miles northeast OF
Marklesburg. Pa. The descendants are
widely scattered. but many still reside
in Woodcock Valley. His family con.
sisted of seven children: John, John
Michael. John Matthew, Susan, Anna
Mary. George and John Philip, (the
latter being born on the old homestead
in 1909 and all OF whom are dead and
buried in Blair and Huntingdon coun-
ties. There were 81 grand children,
Al OF whom are living, and IS were
present at the reunion; 354 great-grand.
children, S6i great-great-gra
dren and l52 groat-great-great-grand.
children, making total of 1,444 de-
cendents, of whom 25S are deceased
| The church representation is 740 Lu.
theran. 347 Reformed. and 235 mem.
bers of six other denominations Al
served in the late war.
Rev. NJ G, Boyer spoke of the moral
religious and literary character of the
family, which has been of high stand.
ard. The band enllvened the occasion
with some select music, after which
the company gathered round three
tables, each 100 feet in length. which
were filed with viands rich and rare
One of the tables was surrounded by
the aged members of the family.
| AT one o'clock, another meeting was
held. and Hon JIG. Boyer, of Hunting
don. spoke of the political standing Of
the family. saying that all the Carriers
in Huntington county were Republican.
Short addresses were then made by A
S. Garner, Isaiah Garner. and letters
were read from those unable to be
present. The happy occasion closed
with benediction, and the assemblage
headed by the band, repaired to The
cemetery at the Stone church near by
and decorated the graves of the fore.
fathers, from whence the company dis.
persed TO their homes about -four
o'clock
One of the features was a small LOG
cabin, with an ancient chimney, loca.
ted on the exact site of the chimney
corner of the old homestead. in which
were exhibited a number of antiquated
articles, such as spinning-wheel, pols
axe, 100 years old, Indian tomahawb
dug up on the farm and an old Ger.
man Bible published in 1865, which con.
ltained the record of the original family,
land many other relies. -